Chapter 137

Discard Piece

Having grown up under his father, a military commander, the young heir of House Lutenia had lived by one unwavering principle:

War is decided by numbers.

No matter how exceptional a knight might be, no matter if a hero could defeat a hundred enemies alone, on the battlefield they were nothing more than a single number.

As someone trained to become a commander, Lutenia's heir had studied this truth extensively. His own experiences had reinforced it time and time again. Had he possessed a proper understanding of monsters, he might have narrowly surpassed Olivia and become Chief of Staff himself.

Yet as he stepped onto this battlefield, three things left him astonished.

'Dragon Spawn.'

The first was the Dragon Spawn.

Luri, Valdrova's attendant, and Isabella, the administrator.

Because the Empire had enjoyed a long era of peace and he had spent most of his life within the imperial capital, he had never truly witnessed their power firsthand.

He knew that Luri had descended like a comet, broken through the Empire's grand magic formation, and entered unhindered. Not only was she overwhelming in combat, but like a true dragon, she could also unleash Dragon Fear. The consensus was that anyone who fought her head-on would face an uphill battle.

How many imperial mages and officials had been executed because of that incident?

'Just as expected of a descendant of Silverwind—fast and overwhelmingly strong.'

In truth, Luri alone was more than capable of dealing with the monsters by herself.

Despite moving more conservatively than the other humans, her superiority was obvious.

He then turned his gaze toward the other Dragon Spawn.

'Just as expected of a descendant of Iorga—precise and masterful.'

Commanding water magic, Isabella constantly reinforced weak points in the battle line, ensuring their formation never collapsed.

Luri and Isabella.

With just those two alone, it felt as though they could wipe out these monsters in no time.

Yet they didn't.

The reason was simple.

This was a human war.

The centerpiece of this operation was the magitech tactical infantry.

They were here to determine just how effective soldiers armed with magitech rifles could be in human warfare.

'That magitech rifle... its firepower is remarkable.'

That was the second thing that had astonished him.

He had already rated it highly when he first saw it, but even that assessment had turned out to be an understatement.

It meant that even without elite assets such as knights or mages, they could fulfill one of the most crucial roles in warfare.

That alone made it an asset of immeasurable value.

'With a few more improvements... and some simplification...'

It would not merely serve as a weapon against monsters.

It could become a decisive force in wars between humans as well.

As the son of a military commander, thoughts of conquest naturally rose within him.

'And the one leading all of this... is that man.'

He slowly turned his head toward the third thing.

There stood a gray-haired, blue-eyed young man atop his horse, calmly casting spells.

'Ferda Valdrova...'

The Dragon Spawn were incredible.

The tactical infantry was revolutionary.

But neither amazed him as much as Ferda himself.

After all, he was the one carrying the weight of everything.

'And he's only nineteen...'

The fiancé of Princeps Valdrova.

That title should have belonged to the most hopeless of failures.

Yet Dragon Spawn followed him willingly, and he had even created weapons capable of fighting demons.

And that wasn't all.

Ferda himself was an exceptional mage.

In the span of just a year, he had reached the Fourth Circle. More impressively, he had taken First- and Second-Circle mages—people barely considered real mages—and drawn genuine value out of them.

'Those aren't things a mere failure could ever accomplish.'

Just what kind of family was House Rosnova to cast out a man like this?

The question intrigued him enough that he almost voiced it aloud.

"Commander Lutenia."

Ferda's call snapped him out of his thoughts.

Caught completely off guard, Lutenia's heir answered rather foolishly.

"Y-Yes?"

"Wouldn't now be a good time to advance? It seems things have been largely brought under control."

Ferda asked politely.

He was right.

The monsters' numbers had thinned considerably, and the brood mothers were now exposed.

If they were going to advance, this was the perfect opportunity.

Raising his sword high, Lutenia's heir shouted,

"Split into two battalions and advance! Secure the brood mothers!"

Thus, they successfully secured the two colossal monsters.

After relaying the news through telepathic communication, Isabella reported to Ferda and the operations staff.

"It appears the 1st Regiment has also completed its objective without difficulty."

"And the other fronts?"

"The Far Eastern Alliance and the Eri Adventurer Group have both completed their operations as well. They're simply awaiting orders."

Everything was in place.

Lutenia's heir gave the command.

"Tell them to begin."

"Understood."

To bring down the colossal monsters, small elite squads were dispatched.

Each team consisted of a Fifth-Circle mage needed to feed mana into the Supernova spell, accompanied by five knights tasked with protecting the mage while stripping away the monsters' thick outer hide.

For the 2nd Regiment, the Fifth-Circle mages assigned were the gloomy witch Echidna and Administrator Isabella.

Isabella, being a Dragon Spawn, naturally put everyone at ease with her friendly demeanor.

Echidna, however...

"Hehehe... Maybe it's because you're Imperial soldiers, but there are so many handsome men..."

The sinister witch's smile was anything but that of a shy maiden standing before attractive men.

The knights nearly recoiled in horror.

'Never thought I'd live to see the day I'd be escorting a witch.'

'O Light of Purification, protect us from that wicked witch's curses.'

Still, they were professionals.

Without showing even a hint of disgust, they dutifully protected her.

Each of them wore anti-magic amulets blessed by the owner of those blue eyes and completed their preparations.

"Everything depends on your success from here onward! May fortune favor you!"

The designated mages and knights moved toward their assigned colossal monsters.

After surrounding their targets, the knights and mages closed in.

The elite knights' razor-sharp aura sliced away the monsters' outer hides with ease.

Then—

Six stars exploded along the border of Princeps Valdrova's territory.

While the soldiers basked in the exhilaration of their first victory, the staff officers convened a meeting.

Winning a battle did not mean they had won the war.

Because of the great distance between them, they communicated through the crystal orbs that had been distributed beforehand.

Olivia spoke first, satisfaction evident in her voice.

"Phase One of the operation has concluded smoothly."

Phase One had been designed to overwhelm the enemy with crushing firepower and dramatically boost morale.

"Is it as festive over there as it sounds?"

"It practically feels like a second Spring Festival. At this rate, I believe we can eliminate every monster without suffering significant casualties."

"I believe so as well."

Still, Olivia didn't seem entirely satisfied.

Reading her expression, Lutenia asked,

"If the Chief of Staff has a better proposal, we are prepared to adopt it at any time."

"This is something worth discussing with the operations staff. Judging from what I've seen, I think we've committed more troops than necessary."

"Looking at the results, I'd have to agree."

Lutenia felt the same.

The troops gathered here were elite knights.

Though each specialized in different martial arts and combat styles, they had all mastered the fundamentals.

Once battle began, obeying orders and acting as a single force was second nature to them.

"Which is why I think we need to be more aggressive with the operation."

"What exactly do you mean?"

"Just as we feared, the colossal monsters are beginning to exhibit abnormal behavior."

It was hardly unexpected.

The reason they had attacked all six colossal monsters simultaneously was to minimize the damage should they begin behaving unpredictably.

"What's different this time is that the monsters are dispersing. Unlike before, when they moved toward the Empire, they're literally spreading out in every direction."

"So instead of gathering together... they're scattering. Like a plague."

"That's exactly what they are," Ferda replied. "They're a plague that devours the continent."

Olivia's voice carried unmistakable anger.

"Even so, the one silver lining is that everything is unfolding exactly as I predicted."

While others had insisted the brood mothers would remain together and defend themselves, Olivia alone had argued they would scatter.

It was a prediction born from a month of relentless research into monster behavior and historical records.

"Which means we can respond accordingly. The situation couldn't be better. This is the perfect time to be ambitious."

Ambitious?

She had already obtained command authority over the army and the tactical infantry. What more could she possibly be aiming for?

"What kind of ambition?"

"If the monsters aren't concentrating their forces, I intend to divide our troops once more. One force will remain as extermination battalions to eliminate the colossal monsters, while the other will become pursuit battalions, hunting down and destroying the monsters spreading toward the smaller villages."

They had already been split into roughly one-thousand-man units, and now she wanted to divide them again.

"From what we've confirmed so far, the tactical infantry has exceeded expectations. I believe even a force of four hundred men can safely engage the monsters."

"And in the worst-case scenario..."

"That number already accounts for the worst-case scenario. The main force is more than capable of holding its ground."

If Olivia was confident the main army would be safe, Lutenia trusted her judgment.

"Personally, I have no objection..."

He turned toward the company commanders.

Without exception, every one of them avoided his gaze.

None wanted to volunteer.

Naturally.

Capturing a colossal monster was both safer and far more prestigious than saving a few dozen villagers in some remote settlement.

The small villages were expendable.

Even if a few hundred civilians died, it wouldn't become a serious issue.

"If the 2nd Regiment opposes the proposal, I won't press the matter any further."

Had Olivia stopped there, they might have abandoned the idea altogether.

Instead, she continued.

"As an Imperial Princess, and as a commander who has taken up the sword to protect this land, I simply do not wish to waste even a single life."

Her voice remained gentle.

Yet her words imposed upon them the duties of nobles and knights.

She had probably persuaded the 1st Regiment with those same words.

Silence filled the room.

Then someone stepped forward.

"The 2nd Regiment will participate as well."

It was Ferda.

"Regent Ferda, you'll be going yourself? That will reduce your combat strength somewhat..."

"Operational command is already in the hands of the operations staff. Even if Luri and I leave, I don't believe it will cause any significant problems."

That was precisely why they had fought so conservatively.

Leaving behind the tactical infantry alone would be enough.

"Before I am Regent of the Principality, I am still an Imperial citizen. I cannot simply stand by and watch my fellow citizens die."

"Thank you, Regent. Then I'll consider the 2nd Regiment's pursuit battalion confirmed."

The discussion continued afterward, but nothing of real importance was added.

Once the meeting concluded, everyone returned to their tents to prepare for the next day's march.

***

As Ferda entered his own tent, his personal communication crystal chimed.

"Can you hear me?"

It was Olivia.

Perhaps because he'd been listening to Chief of Staff Olivia throughout the meeting, hearing her speak now in a softer, more feminine tone felt strangely different.

"I hear you clearly."

"Just as I expected—they're all cowards. With courage like that, how do they expect to win my favor?"

She muttered quietly.

"Nothing but men with big mouths."

"Did you contact me just to gossip behind their backs?"

"Think of it as breaking the ice through a shared interest. Let's hold our own little meeting."

A private meeting.

Coincidentally, there was something he wanted to ask her.

"You said you wanted to protect the smaller villages. Was that truly your primary objective?"

No one calculated costs and benefits faster than Olivia.

She knew perfectly well those villages offered little strategic value.

If she had proposed this operation anyway, then she had to be after something else.

"Of course not."

As expected.

"There's something else I'm after."

"And what would that be?"

"There's an old saying: when chaotic times arrive, extraordinary people emerge. I intend to draw one of those hidden prodigies out into the open."

Did she believe such a person lived in one of those villages?

"Who?"

"The Sage of Water, Helus Phobidas."

"Ah."

The moment he heard the name, Ferda let out a quiet exclamation.

Helus.

The sage who had appeared like a comet.

How many people had struggled to win his favor?

The Empire had been no different.

Even the Imperial princes competing for succession had desperately tried to recruit him.

It seemed Olivia intended to seize that opportunity first.

"Come to think of it, he did live somewhere in the eastern region."

"So you know him as well, Regent Ferda."

"I do."

"Most people become excited—or at least nervous—when they hear the Sage of Water's name. But you seem... rather unimpressed. Is he not that significant to you?"

Well...

He had already taken everything that truly mattered from the man long ago.

Judging by Olivia's words, she still didn't know Helus had become little more than an empty shell.

He let the question slide.

"If you want to recruit the sage, wouldn't it be better if Your Highness went personally rather than me?"

"Based on everything I've gathered, he does seem to have... rather questionable tastes. They say he's particularly fond of blonde women with blue eyes and large breasts."

She paused.

"Doesn't that description remind you of someone? Hehe."

"..."

"I'm joking. It was only a joke. You don't have to go silent like that. Are you like this when talking to Princeps Valdrova as well?"

"...There are times when I lose my words."

That was usually Ferda's fault.

Whenever he carefully considered what to say, silence inevitably followed.

"The reason I wanted you to go was because of the sage. I assumed you had accepted after calculating the benefits. But judging from your reaction... it doesn't seem like you're interested in recruiting him at all."

"That's right."

Why bother bringing in that greedy fat man when the real prize was already in his possession?

It would only increase the food bill.

"Then why are you volunteering?"

"For exactly the reason I stated."

"I'm simply going to protect the villages."

There was no hidden agenda.

Well...

There was one, but it wasn't something he intended to tell Olivia.

"I suppose you're determined to cement your image as the benevolent ruler of Hestia Village."

Olivia sounded pleased.

"Did you know something?"

"What is it?"

"I'm lying down."

"..."

"In bed."

The statement came completely out of nowhere.

"I'm sitting."

"I'm lying here, listening to your voice."

"That is rather improper."

"Hehe. I wanted to fall asleep like this. But I just can't seem to."

She let out a long sigh.

The faint rustling of silk sheets tickled his ears.

"You haven't relaxed yet."

"That's right. Wars like this... they're rather cruel for someone like me."

Coming from someone who lived in the even more ruthless world of politics, it sounded almost ironic.

"I'm the Chief of Staff."

"You are."

"If I fail to command properly, everything falls apart."

"That's true."

"You wouldn't want me to issue the wrong orders, throw everyone into confusion, and get them all wiped out... would you?"

"...No."

What exactly was she trying to say?

"So... may I ask one favor?"

"Go ahead."

"Would you tell me to sleep well?"

"...You really want me to?"

"Yes."

"I really do."

Ferda hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.

It wasn't even something worth deliberating over.

She wasn't asking him to chant some magical incantation.

Just a simple phrase.

"Sleep well."

"Thank you."

"You sleep well too, Regent."

Her satisfied breathing was the last thing he heard before the communication crystal's light faded away.

Ferda lay down as well.

He was just as busy.

Even now, the monsters continued to move.

If he intended to catch them, he needed to prepare for tomorrow.

***

Imperial Palace – Operations Command Center

"What did you just say?!"

Alexander's roar echoed throughout the chamber.

"My legion was annihilated by the monsters?!"